What are Restorative Practices? These are practices that can be incorporated within school settings. Although they may be used proactively, they are often used as a response to problem behavior and may sometimes replace or supplement common disciplinary measures. Restorative practices focus on healing and re-establishing the learning environment.
How do PBIS and Restorative Practices work together? Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) shifts adults' focus from punishing and excluding to teaching and rewarding positive student behavior, while Restorative Practices (RP) encourage personal reflection, accountability, and healing for both students and adults. Both approaches seek to enforce positive behavior and uplift student strengths. PBIS utilizes systems and data-based decision making to support the needs of students in order to promote positive behavior and a positive classroom climate.
RP are also focused on relationships with the goal of building strong connections that promote positive behavior and a positive classroom climate. They provide structures and practices to set clear classroom expectations, as well as providing language for engaging students in problem-solving and self reflection when problems arise.
Smith, D., Fisher, D., Frey, N., & Robbins, Z. S. (2022). The restorative practices playbook: Tools for transforming discipline in schools. Corwin.
